Presumably indicate something I do not know for sure.

Originally this character was read with the meaning "lid". For example, when a lid is put on a tier of boxes, although we do not know for sure what has been put inside, if we use our imaginations we will hit the mark six or seven times out of ten. Here also I do not know for sure, but figure tentatively that it must be so. Actually, this is a written for we use even about things we do know for sure. We do this to humble ourselves and so as not to seem to be speaking in a knowing manner.

Martial artist is as the character indicates.

Not to fight for gain or loss, not to be concerned with strength or weakness means not vying for victory or worrying about defeat, and not being concerned with the functions of strength or weakness.

Neither advance a step nor retreat a step means taking neither one step forward nor one step to the rear. Victory is gained without stirring from where you are.

The me of "the enemy does not see me" refers to my True Self. It does not mean my perceived self.

People can see the perceived self; it is rare for them to discern the True Self. Thus, I say, "The enemy does not see me."

I do not see the enemy. Because I do not take the personal view of the perceived self, I do not see the martial art of the enemy's perceived self. Although I say, "I do not see the enemy" this does not mean I do not see the enemy right before my very eyes. To be able to see the one without seeing the other is a singular thing.

Well then, the True Self is the self that existed before the division of heaven and earth and before one's father and mother were born. This self is the self within me, the birds and the beasts, the grasses and the trees and all phenomena. It is exactly what is called the Buddha-nature.

This self has no shape or form, has no birth, and has no death. It is not a self that can be seen with the aid of your present physical eye. Only the man who has received enlightenment is able to see this. The man who does see this is said to have seen into his own nature and become a Buddha.

Long ago, the World Honored One went into the Snowy Mountains and after passing six years in suffering, became enlightened. This was the enlightenment of the True Self. The ordinary man has no strength of faith, and does not know the persistence of even three or five years. But those who study the Way are absolutely diligent for ten to twenty, twenty-four hours a day. They muster up great strength of faith, speak with those who have wisdom, and disregard adversity and suffering. Like a parent who has lost a child, they do not retreat a scintilla from their established resolution. they think deeply, adding inquiry to inquiry. In the end, they, they arrive at the place where even Buddhist doctrine and Buddhist Law melt away, and are naturally able to see "This".

Penetrating to a place where heaven and earth have not yet divided, where Ying and Yang have not yet arrived. I necessarily and quickly gain effect means to set one's eyes on the place that existed before heaven became heaven and earth became earth, before Ying and Yang came into being. It is to use neither thought nor reasoning and to look straight ahead. In this way, the time of gaining great effect will surely arrive.

Well then, the accomplished man uses the sword but does not kill others. He uses the sword and give other life. When it is necessary to kill, he kills. When it is necessary to give life, he gives life. When killing, he kills in complete concentration; when giving life, he give life in complete concentration. Without looking at right and wrong, he is able to see right and wrong; without attempting to discriminate, he is able to discriminate well. Treading on water is just like treading on land, and treading on land is just like treading on water. If he is able to gain this freedom, he will not be perplexed by anyone on earth. In all things, he will be beyond companions.

The accomplished man means the man accomplished in the martial arts.

He uses the sword, but does not kill others means that even though he does not use the sword to cut other down, when other are confronted by this principle, the cower and become as dead men of their own accord. There is no need to kill them.

He uses the sword and gives other life means that while he deals with his opponents with a sword, he leaves everything to the movement of the other man, and is able to observe him just as he pleases.

When it is necessary to kill, he kills. When it is necessary to give life, he gives life. When killing, he kills in complete concentration; when giving life, he give life in complete concentration means that in either giving life or taking life, he does so with freedom in a meditative state that is total absorption, and the meditator becomes one with the object of meditation.

Without looking at right and wrong, he is able to see right and wrong; without attempting to discriminate, he is able to discriminate well.This means that concerning his martial art, he does not look at it to say "correct" or "incorrect", but he is able to see which it is. He does not attempt to judge matters, but he is able to do so well.

If one sets up a mirror, the form of whatever happens to be in front of it will be reflected and will be seen. As the mirror does this mindlessly, the various forms are reflected clearly, without any intent to discriminate this from that. Setting up his whole mind like a mirror, the man who employs the martial arts will have no intention of discriminating right from wrong, but according to the brightness of the mirror of his mind, the judgement of right and wrong will be perceived without his giving it any thought.

Treading on water is just like treading on land, and treading on land is just like treading on water.The meaning of this will not be known by anyone unenlightened about the very source of mankind.

If the fool steps on land like he steps on water, when he walks on land, he is going to fall on his face. If he steps on water like he steps on land, when he does step onto water he may think that he can actually walk around. Concerning this matter, the man who forgets about both land and water should arrive at this principle for the first time.

If he is able to gain this freedom, he will not be perplexed by anyone on earth. According to this, the martial artist who is able to gain freedom will not be in a quandary about what to do, regardless of who on earth he comes up against.

In all things, he will be beyond companions means that as he will be without peer in all the world, he will be just like Shakyamuni, who said, "In Heaven above and Earth below, I alone am the Honored One."

Do you want to obtain this? Walking, stopping, sitting or lying down, in speaking and in remaining quiet, during tea and during rice, you must never neglect exertion, you must quickly set your eye on the goal, and investigate thoroughly, both coming and going. Thus should you look straight into things. As months pile up and years pass by, it should seem like a light appearing on its own in the dark. You will receive wisdom without a teacher and will generate mysterious ability without trying to do so. At just such a time, this does not depart from the ordinary, yet it transcends it. By name, I call it "Taia".

Do you want to obtain this? "This" points out what was written about above, so the question is whether you are considering obtaining the meaning of the foregoing.

Walking, stopping, sitting or lying down. The four of these - walking, stopping, sitting, lying down - are called the for Dignities. All people are involved in them.

In speaking and in remaining silent means while talking about things or without uttering a word.

You must never neglect exertion, you must quickly set your eye on the goal, and investigate thoroughly, both coming and going. Thus should you look straight into things. This means that you should never be careless or negligent in your efforts, and you should constantly come back to yourself. You should quickly fix your eye on the goal and continually investigate these principles in depth. Always go straight ahead, considering what is right to be right, and what is wrong to be wrong, while observing this principle in all things.

As months pile up and years pass by, it should seem like a light appearing on its own in the dark means that, in just that way, you should carry on with your efforts tirelessly. As you advance with the accumulation of months and years, the acquiring you do on your own of the mysterious principle will be just like suddenly encountering the light from a lantern on a dark night.

You will receive wisdom without a teacher means that you will acquire this fundamental wisdom without its ever having been transmitted to you by a teacher.

You will generate mysterious ability without trying to do so. Because the works of the ordinary man all come from his consciousness, they are all actions of the world of created phenomena, and are involved with suffering. At the same time, because actions that are uncreated are generated from this fundamental wisdom, they alone are natural and peaceful.

At just such a time means precisely at such a time. It indicated the time when one receives wisdom without a teacher and generates mysterious ability without trying to do so.

The meaning of this does not depart from the ordinary, yet it transcends it is that this uncreated mysterious ability is not generated form the unusual.

Since only actions that are unremarkably everyday in character become the uncreated, this principle never departs, nor does it separate itself, from the ordinary. Which is still to say that the ordinary actions in the world of created phenomena of the everyday ordinary man are entirely different. Thus it is said that "this does not depart from the ordinary, yet it transcends it."

By name, I call it "Taia." Taia is the name of an [ancient Chinese] sword that has no equal under heaven. This famous jewelled sword can freely cut anything, from rigid metal and tempered steel to dense and hardened gems and stones. Under heaven there is nothing that can parry this blade. The person who obtains this uncreated mysterious ability will not be swayed by the commander of huge armies or an enemy force of hundreds of thousands. This is the same as there being nothing that can impede the blade of this famous sword. Thus I call the strength of this mysterious ability the Sword Taia.

All men are equipped with this sharp Sword Taia, and in each one it is perfectly complete. Those for whom this is clear are feared even by the Maras, but those for whom this is obscure are deceived even by the heretics. On the one hand, when two of equal skill meet at swords' point, there is no conclusion to the match; it is like Shakyamuni's holding the flower and Kashyapa's subtle smile. On the other hand, raising the one and understanding the other three, or distinguishing subtle differences in weight with the unaided eye are examples of ordinary cleverness If anyone has mastered this, he will quickly cut you into three pieces even before the one has been raised and the three understood. How much more so when you meet him face to face?

All men are equipped with this sharp Sword Taia, and in each one it is perfectly complete. This means that the famous Sword Taia, which no blade under heaven can parry, is not imparted just to other men. Everyone, without exception, is equipped with it, it is inadequate for no one, and it is perfectly entire.

This is a matter of the mind. This mind was not born with your birth and will not die with your death. This being true, it is said to be your Original Face. Heaven is not able to cover it. Earth is not able to support it. Fire is not able to burn it, nor is water able to dampen it. Even the wind is unable to penetrate it. There is nothing under heaven that is able to obstruct it.

Those for whom this is clear are feared even by the Maras, but those for whom this is obscure are deceived even by the heretics. For the person who is clearly enlightened concerning his Original Face, there is nothing in the universe that obscures or obstructs his vision. Thus there is no means of enacting the supernatural power of the Maras. Because such a person sees through to the bottom of his own intentions, the Maras fear and avoid him; they hesitate to draw near. Conversely, the person who is obscure and lost concerning his Original Face accumulates any number of confused thoughts and delusions, which then adhere to him. Heretics are easily able to deceive and swindle such a person.

When two of equal skill at this meet at swords' point, there is no conclusion to the match. The meaning of this is that if two men who had both penetrated their Original Face were to meet, each unsheathed the Sword Taia, and they faced off, it would be impossible to bring matters to a conclusion. If one were to ask about this, it might be likened to the meeting of Shakyamuni and Kashyapa.

Shakyamuni's holding the flower and Kashyapa's subtle smile. At the gathering at Gridhrakuta Peak when Shakyamuni was about to die, he held up a single red lotus. He showed this to eighty thousand monks and every one of them remained silent. Only Kashyapa smiled. Knowing at that time the Kashyapa had been enlightened, Shakyamuni entrusted him with the Correct Doctrine, which does not rely on written word and is specially transmitted without obstruction, and affirmed on him the Buddha-seal.

Since that time, the Correct Doctrine was transmitted in India in twenty-eight successions to Bodhidharma. In China it was passed on from Bodhidharma in six transmissions to reach the Sixth Patriarch, the Zen Master Ta Chien.

As this Zen Master was incarnated a bodhisattva, from this time the Buddhist Law flourished in China, spreading its leaves and branches, quickly promulgating the Five Houses and Seven Sects, and finally being transmitted to the Japanese priests Daio and Daito, through the priest Nai Chih Hsu Tang. This has been unremittingly continued from teacher to disciple to the present day.

The doctrine of "holding the flower...the subtle smile"is difficult to arrive at and is not easily unraveled by guesswork. One must drink in the breath of all the Buddhas while swallowing one's own voice.

Although there is really no way to express this principle, if pressed, one might summon up the example of taking water from one vessel and pouring it into another so that the waters become mixed and indistinguishable. This is the moment when the eyes of Shakyamuni and Kashyapa meet and become one. Relativity is no longer there.

Among all martial artists of every discipline, there is one in one thousand who has grasped the purport of "holding the flower...the subtle smile." Nevertheless, if one did have the most steadfast of intentions and truly wanted to understand, he would have to discipline himself for another thirty years. Erring in this would not simply be a matter of not mastering martial arts; he would enter hell like an arrow shot from a bow. This is truly a frightening thing.

Raising the one and understanding the other three means that as soon as one part is shown, the other three are immediately understood.

Differences in weight are extremely subtle. The man who is able to measure out any weight of gold and silver by eye and not err by the slightest is a clever and skillful person.

These are examples of ordinary cleverness signifies that such clever people are ordinary and their number is legion, and thus there is nothing special about them.

If anyone has mastered this, he will quickly cut you into three pieces even before the one has been raised and the three understood. This pertains to the person who has been enlightened concerning the cause of the Buddha's appearance in the world. It is he who will quickly cut you into three parts before the one has been raised, the three understood, or before any indication whatsoever appears. Thus I suppose that, in meeting someone like this, there is nothing that could be done.

How much more so when you meet him face to face? A man who has gained such celerity and subtlety, when meeting another man face to face, will cut so easily that his opponent will never know that his head has fallen off.

In the end, a man like this never exposes the tip of his sword. Its speed - even lightning cannot keep up with it. Its brevity - it is gone even before the quick wind of the storm. Not having such a tactic, if one, in the end, becomes entangled or confused, he will damage his own blade or injure his own hand, and will fall short of adroitness. One does not divine this by impressions or knowledge. There is no transmitting it by words or speech, no learning it by any doctrine. This is the law of the special transmission beyond instruction.

In the end a man like this never exposes the tip of his sword means that a master never, from the very beginning, shows the tip of his sword.

Its speed - even lightning cannot keep up with it. Its brevity - it is gone even before the quick wind of the storm. As for the speed of technique, this means that even the lightning, which is gone just as you think you have seen it, cannot pass through this man's movements. As for its brevity, it disappears even faster than the fine grains of sand that are blown before the storm.

Not having such a tactic, if one, in the end, becomes entangled or confused... says that without such skill, if one becomes just a little attached to the raising of his sword or just a little attached to the application of his mind...

He will damage his own blade or injure his own hand, and will fall short of adroitness means that he will definitely bread off the tip of his own sword, will cut his own hand, and is unlikely ever to be called skillful

One does not divine this by impressions or knowledge. "Impressions or knowledge" refers to the knowledge and discrimination within the human heart. Divine means calculating and figuring things out. What this means is that no matter how much you try to figure or calculate by means of impressions or knowledge, it will not prove the least bit useful. Therefore, separate yourself from the discrimination of figuring things out.

There is not transmitting it by words or speech, no learning it by any doctrine. For the true martial artist, there is no way to pass this on by words. Moreover, there is no way to teach or learn through doctrine what kind of stance to take or where to strike.

This is the law of the special transmission beyond instruction. It cannot be transmitted with words, and no matter what method one may take, it cannot be taught. Therefore this is call the doctrine of "a special transmission beyond instruction." This is a doctrine outside the teaching of an instructor, a doctrine that particularly requires self-enlightenment and realization on one's own.

There is no established rule for manifesting this great ability. Orderly action, contrary action - even heaven does not determine this. So what is the nature of this thing? The ancients said, "When a house does not have a painting of a Pai Che, it is like having no ghosts at all." If a man has tempered himself and arrived at this principle, he will control everything under heaven with a single sword. For those who study this, let them not be thoughtless.

There is no established rule for manifesting this great ability. If the "great ability" of the law of this special transmission should manifest itself in front of you, it will do so freely, without the existence of any established rule. And yet it is called the "great ability" because it extends in all the ten directions and is missing from no place by even the tip of a rabbit's hair. An established rule is a law or regulation; there are no laws or regulations such as would mold things concerning the manifestation of this great ability.

Orderly action, contrary action - even heaven does not determine this. The man who manifests this great ability, whether he would act in an orderly way or a contrary way, is free and without obstacles.

So what is the nature of this thing? indicates confronting someone and asking them what something is in fact.

The ancients said, "When a house does not have a painting of a Pai Che, it is like having no ghosts at all." This is an answer to the preceding question.

The Pai Che has a body like a cow's, a head like a man's, and is an animal like no other known. It eats dreams and misfortunes, and in China they draw a picture of it to put up at the house entrance or to hang on the inner pillars. In short, putting up an illustration of Pai Che is for the purpose of avoiding misfortune.

The person who had no ghosts in his house from the very beginning would not even think about making a picture of Pai Che and hanging it somewhere. This is to say that he who has gained the use of either the orderly or the contrary, since even heaven cannot determine what is in his mind, completely transcends pain and pleasure. He has misfortunes in neither body nor home. Because of this, his mind will not hanker after a picture of Pai Che, and his own world will be a thing of beauty.

If a man has tempered himself and arrived at this principle, he will control everything under heaven with a single sword.This means that if one disciplines himself in this way, exhaustively tempering this pure metal a thousand times over, and becomes instantly free like the quick unsheathing of a sword, he should be like the founder of the Han Dynasty, controlling all under heaven with a single sword.